In the Church of St. Savior, the parish priest Fr. Rami Asakrieh presided over the celebration of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, inviting the faithful to live this day as a time of prayer and hope in the resurrection.

Death as passage and not as end

During his meditation, Fr. Asakrieh reminded that death, while remaining a reality that touches every person, can be welcomed as an integral part of the human and Christian journey.

"In the heart of man there is a spark of eternity," said the parish priest, "which urges him to believe that death is not the end, but a passage towards the life that never ends."

Recalling the words of the Book of Job, "I know that my Redeemer lives," he emphasized the trust of those who recognize in God a Redeemer who awaits every person beyond the threshold of death.

The victory of Christ over death

The homily also focused on the Christian meaning of death, seen in the light of the resurrection of Christ.

"In Jesus, who died and rose again, God has conquered death and opened for us the way to eternal life," reminded Fr. Asakrieh.

Death, therefore, is no longer a loss, but an encounter with God, as expressed in the Gospel: "This is the will of the Father, that I should lose nothing of what He has given me, but raise it up on the last day."

Fr. Rami also recalled the teaching of St. Francis of Assisi, who called death "sister," a sign of the inner peace of those who trust in Christ.

Faith that enlightens sorrow

For Christians, faith in the resurrection gives meaning and light even to mourning.

The first disciples called cemeteries "places of rest," indicating that death is not the conclusion but a waiting for the fullness of life in God.

"Let us not live this day in sadness," said Fr. Asakrieh, "but in the living hope that our loved ones live in the peace of God."

He also recalled the words of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who, facing the death of her father, prayed: "I do not ask You, Lord, why You have taken him from me, but I thank You because You gave him to me."

A gesture of preparation and service

In preparation for the commemoration, on Thursday, October 30, the friars and students of the St. Saviour community, together with the Cenacolino community, took part in a day of community work.

The initiative aimed to care for and bring dignity to the cemetery of the friars of the Custody, extending the service also to the parish cemetery of Jerusalem.

Twenty-five friars, including students, priests, and religious, took part in the activity, in a moment of collaboration and fraternity at the service of the community.

A simple but meaningful gesture, to prepare spiritually and concretely for the commemoration of the departed and to remember with respect those who served the Church in the Holy Land.